Prof Myrna Monllor English 124 Danny Boyle British
Prof. Myrna Monllor English 124
Danny Boyle • British Director, Producer, Screenwriter – – – – Trainspotting 1996 Millions 2004 Sunshine 200 28 Days Later 2008 Slumdog Millionaire 2008 127 Hours 2010 Steve Jobs 2015 • Declined Knighthood • Most of his movies are about an individual trying to overcome impossible odds
Slumdog Millionaire • • Adapted from Q & A by Vikas Swarup Written by Simon Beaufoy Set and filmed in India 10 Academy Awards Nominations. Won 8 7 BAFTA awards 5 Critic’s Choice Awards Four Golden Globes Budget 15 million/Box Office 377. 9 million
Critics “ a breathless, exciting story, heartbreaking and exhilarating”
Critics
Dickensian story Dickens wrote stories which portrayed the social conditions of 19 th century England. Often he included repulsive characters, who lurked in de darkest parts of the city.
Historical Background The Slums of Mumbai, Dharavi • It is a densely populated slum • Close to a million people live there • The slum is divided into Hindu and Muslim religious communities • Products produced in the slum are sold in India and all over the world • 90% of the housing is illegal • https: //www. youtube. com/ watch? v=PBMDGc. YWPv. U
Historical Background Child Trafficking • • Maman Child labour Begging/Organ trade Prostitution Children sold to gangs
Historical Background Bombay (Mumbai) Riots • December 1992 -January 1993 • Around 900 people died • Politically motivated as the result of racial tensions between Hindus and Muslims • In the film Salim’s and Jamal’s mother is a victim of these riots
The Beginning
The Beginning To whom is this first question directed?
The Beginning
The Questions Who was the star in the 1973 hit film Zanjeer? What is the purpose of this first scene? Amitabh Bachchan
Characterization Contrasting the Two Brothers What are the basic differences between the brothers?
Plot Development • Through two interrogations, one in the program Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and the other by a police inspector, Jamal Malik reminisces about his life. • Each question triggers a memory. • Jamal’s main motivation is love for Latika.
The Questions A picture of three lions is seen in the national emblem of India. What is written underneath it? The truth alone triumphs
Their Mother’s Death/The Bombay Riots
The Questions In depictions of God Rama, he is famously holding what in his right hand? Rama endured harsh tests and obstacles. Notice how much he looks like Jamal. Rama/Vishnu is the lord of self control and virtue. A bow and arrow
Latika follows the boys
The Questions The song “Darshan Do Ghanshyam” was written by which famous Indian poet? Surdas, who was blind.
The Questions On an American Hundred Dollar Bill, there is a portrait of which American statesman? Benjamin Franklin
The Questions Who Invented the Revolver? Rescuing Latika, Samal’s betrayal Samuel Colt
The Questions Cambridge Circus is in which UK city? London
The Questions Which cricketer has scored the most first class centuries in history? Jack Hobbs
The Final Question/The Guess He and his brother called themselves Athos and Porthos. Aramis
The Ending “God is great.
The Ending
The Telephone Calls
The Media/TV
The Train
The Train “Train journeys are about possibilities. They denote a change in state. When you arrive, you are no longer the same person who departed. ” From Q & A by Vikas Swarup.
The Novel
Vikas Swarup • Indian diplomat • First Novel/Slumdog Millionaire 2005 • Six Suspects • The Accidental Apprentice
Background • Similar to The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and of His Fortunes and Adversities the 16 th century novel • Through Lazarillo’s adventures, injustice and the dark side of human nature is exposed. • The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 is one of the shortest wars in history. It is estimated from 300, 000 to 3, 000 civilians were killed in Bangladesh. Eight to 10 million fled the country and sought refuge in India.
Themes • Poverty vs. power • Destiny • Memory/What is unusual is that this is a young person remembering his past • Loyalty and Family • Honesty and Morality/Presented through Ram’s and other characters’ different experiences • Exploitation of children • Revenge • An underdog overcoming adversity • Hope and the possibility of achieving the impossible
Plot Development • Uses questions asked during Who Wants to be a Millionaire as a means of telling Ram Mohammad Thomas’ story. The questions are different from the ones in the film. • The main character, Ram, is quite different to Jamal in the film. His life experiences are also different. • Ram’s life experiences are used to portray life in India, the great gap between the upper and lower classes, between power and poverty and the myriad social problems of Indian society, including racism and prejudice because of religious differences.
Plot Development • • • • The Prologue (The set up. Ram is being tortured. Prem Kumar) The Death of a Hero (Ram and Salim at the movie theater) The Burden of a Priest (Father Timothy and Father John) A Brother’s Promise (Shantaram and Gudiya) A Thought by the Crippled (Maman and the disabled children) How to Speak Australian (Colonel Taylor and his family) Hold on to your Buttons Murder on the Western Express (Jamal kills a man. ) A Soldier’s Tale (Reference to the Indo-Pakistani War) License to Kill (Ram and Salim meet again) Tragedy Queen (Neelima Kumari) X GKRZ OPKNU (OR A LOVE STORY) (Shankar, Swapna Devi, Lajwanti, Nita, Mr. Chatterjee) The Thirteenth Question (Revenge) Epilogue
Ram Mohammad Thomas • Abandoned as a child. Raised by Father Thomas. Sent to a Juvenile Home. Sold to Maman. Worked as a servant and waiter. • The tone of Ram’s story is raw. He does not spare the reader from the darkest situations he lives. • Homosexuality, sexual abuse and domestic violence are present in many of the stories he tells.
The Prologue • Ram is being tortured. • He is accused of cheating on the show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. • He is rescued by Smita, a lawyer who manages to save him from the torture. • The questions from the show help him tell Smita his story.
The Questions The Prologue What is the currency of France? The choices are a) Dollar, b)Pound, c) Euro, or d) Franc. ' I have been arrested. For winning a quiz show. They came for me late last night, when even the stray dogs had gone off to sleep. They broke open my door, handcuffed me and marched me off to the waiting jeep with a flashing red light.
The Questions The Death of a Hero But can you name the blockbusting film in which Armaan Ali starred with Priya Kapoor for the very first time. Was it a) Fire, b) Hero, c) Hunger, or d) Betrayal? ' Ram and Salim’s friendship. Ram and Salim’s experience at the movies. Homosexuality. I, too, know of perverts and what they do to unsuspecting boys. In dark halls. In public toilets. In municipal gardens. In juvenile homes.
The Questions The Burden of a Priest What is the sequence of letters normally inscribed on a cross? Is it a) IRNI, b) INRI, c) RINI or d) NIRI? • Ram and Father Timothy. How Ram got his name. … today I have really become an orphan, ' I reply. 'He was my father. Just as he was Father to all those who came to this church.
The Questions A Brother’s Promise Which is the smallest planet in our solar system? Is it a) Pluto, b) Mars, c) Neptune or d) Mercury? ' Life at the chawl. Mr. Shantaram and Gudiya. 'I will never allow this to happen, ' I tell her. 'This is a brother's promise. '
The Questions A Thought for the Crippled Surdas, the blind poet, was a devotee of which god: a) Ram, b) Krishna, c) Shiva or d) Brahma? Life at the Juvenile Home. Ram is 8. Ram meets Salim. The boys meet Mr. Gupta and the fortune teller who gives Ram his magic coin. The Children are sold to Maman. 'I cannot imagine there are still people in this day and age who can inflict such cruelty on innocent children. ' Sitma
The Questions How to Speak Australian When a government declares a foreign diplomat persona non grata, what does it mean? Is it a) that the diplomat is to be honoured, b) that the diplomat's tenure should be extended, c) that the diplomat is grateful or d) that the diplomat is not acceptable? Ram lives with Colonel Taylor’s family. He tells of the treatment he and his fellow servants receive. • "G'day maite, go to India Gaite, tonight at aite. "
The Questions Hold on to your Buttons What is the capital of Papua New Guinea? Is it a) Port Louis, b) Port-au-Prince, c) Port Moresby or d) Port Adelaide? ' Ram works at a bar where he has to listen to patrons’ stories. One day he meets Prakash Rao who tells him about his wife the voodoo priestess. He has already applied to be in the quiz show.
The Questions Murder on the Western Express Who invented the revolver? Was it a) Samuel Colt, b) Bruce Browning, c) Dan Wesson, or d) James Revolver? ' Ram has received his payment from Colonel Taylor and has spent the money to travel first class. He is carrying 50 thousand rupees. He meets a well to do family. They are all attacked by a train robber. And a street boy who, for a brief moment, had some money, and who will never have middle-class dreams again.
The Questions A Soldier’s Tale Which is the highest award for gallantry given to the Indian armed forces? Is it a) Maha Vir Chakra, b) Param Vir Chakra, c) Shaurya Chakra or d) Ashok Chakra? ' Ram’s life at the bunker. He is 12, Salim 10. The Pakistani War 1971 'Unheralded we came into this world. Unheralded we will go out. But while we are in this world, we do such deeds that even if this generation does not remember, the next generation cannot forget. ’…Balwant
The Questions License to Kill How many Test centuries has India's greatest batsman Sachin Malvankar scored? Your choices are a) 34, b) 35, c) 36 or d) 37? ' Ram reencounters Salim. They are now 18 and 16. Maman is killed. Salim is protected by Ahmed Khan.
The Questions Tragedy Queen Neelima Kumari, the Tragedy Queen, won the National Award in which year? Was it a) 1984, b) 1988, c) 1986 or d) 1985? ' Ram’s life with Neelima Kumari. He is 13. There is a core of melancholy which surrounds her. Even in her smile I detect a hint of sadness. Jamal about Neelima I want to leave behind an image of unspoilt youth and beauty, of everlasting grace and charm. I don't want to die when I am ninety. How I wish at times I could stop all the clocks of this world, shatter every mirror, and freeze my youthful face in time. Neelima
The Questions X GKRZ OPKNU (OR A LOVE STORY) In which play by Shakespeare do we find the character Costard? Is it a) King Lear, b) The Merchant of Venice, c) Love's Labour's Lost or d) Othello? ' Ram’s life in Agra. How he earns money at the Taj Mahal. Ram meets Lajwanti , Shankar and Nita. Ram is 17.
The Questions THE THIRTEENTH QUESTION Ram discovers who Smita is. How Ram and his friends benefitted from winning at the quiz show. 'Why did you throw away your lucky coin? ’ 'I don't need it any more. Because luck comes from within. '
Characters You Should Know • • • • Smita Mrs. Philomena Thomas Father Timothy Father John Ian Salim Gudiya Nita Neelima Kumari Shakar Lance Naik (retd) Balwant Singh Lajwanti Shyam Mr Utpal Chatterjee • • • Inspector Godbole Prem Kuppar Colonel Taylor Joseph Mr. Shantaram Mr. Gupta Maman Prakash Rao/Arvind Rao and Julie Akshay and Meenakshi Ahmed Khan Queen Swapna Devi
What you should know Why is Ram being tortured at the beginning of the story? How does Ram know the answers to the questions? Why does Father Timothy give Ram an English name? How did Father Timothy influence his life? What happened to Father Timothy? Why was Ram sent to the juvenile center? What terrible experiences are orphans and street children submitted to? Mention examples. • How did Ram meet Salim? How did Ram save Salim from Mr. Gupta? • What did the fortune teller tell Salim and Ram? What did the fortune teller give Ram? • • •
What you should know? • What did Ram promise Gudiya? • Who was Maman? How did Ram and Salim meet him? • How did Ram and Salim separate? • What were Ram’s experiences with the Colonel’s family? Who betrayed Colonel Taylor? Why? • What was Ram’s experience on the train? Why did he lose all his money? • What was his experience with Neelima, the actress?
What you should know? How did Ram meet Nita? How did knowing English help Ram in life? What was the purpose of the magic coin? How did Ram use money? Who is Balwant? Why does he commit suicide? Why does Ram believe his coin is magic? Is it magic? • What is the purpose of the constant reference to films, movie stars, and tv? • • •
References Amitabh Bachchan Shah Rukh Khan Priya Kapoor
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